New College Grad: Columbus or Cleveland (Cincinnati, Lakewood: school, university, living in)

[wahoos]

I will be graduating from the University of Virginia in May and am currently deciding where to live starting this summer. My job affords me the choice of living in either Cleveland or Columbus. Having been born and raised in the Northeast and gone to school down South I know next to nothing about either of these places.

I am looking for lively urban living with a strong young professional population. Food, nightlife, and sports teams would be some of my important considerations as well. This board has been a great help on deciding where to live in past Summers, but this is my first time posting a unique question. Thanks to anyone who can offer any advice!

[natininja]

Columbus is younger; there are tons and tons of people your age.

I'd give Cleveland the edge on most other things. Especially sports teams.

[bjimmy24]

I have lived in both cities (grew up in Cleveland, lived in Columbus through college and a bit after, then moved back to Cleveland, though now I live in Boston) and currently am a "young professional."

Cleveland is cheaper than Columbus. There are solid populations of young professionals downtown, in Little Italy, Tremont, Ohio City, Cleveland Heights, Gordon Square, and Lakewood. Cleveland offers, I believe, a more "urban" feeling than Columbus. Decent rail and bus transportation if you live in the right areas (such as the ones I just listed). It has a denser population, a more historic feeling, and there are first rate cultural amenities. I don't think anyone could honestly say that Columbus beats Cleveland in things like museums, music, history, etc. There are also countless great restaurants and some really cool bars that aren't dominated by the college crowd.

Columbus, on the other hand, feels newer. It has more younger people, thanks in large part to OSU. Public transit though isn't too good. Columbus has been growing though and attracting lots of new talent and has become more diverse than a lot of people think it is. Cleveland has been shrinking for some time, though there are many exciting developments and many reason to want to live in Cleveland. The worst areas of Cleveland are far worse than the worst areas of Columbus. Thus, overall, I'd say Columbus is safer than Cleveland, though if you stay out of the worst areas (there's really no reason to go to those places anyway), the gap closes considerably. Columbus is also in the middle of the state and provides easy access to both Cleveland and Cinci if you ever want to take a weekend trip. OSU football in the fall is also pretty fun.

Depends on what you like, I guess.

[motorman]

Originally Posted by natininja

Columbus is younger; there are tons and tons of people your age.

I'd give Cleveland the edge on most other things. Especially sports teams.

"Tons and tons of people your age" is certainly true enough and not necessarily all that bad, but then again do you really want to be surrounded be young people much like yourself, and all of them talking their youthful, egocentric heads off and competing for the same jobs you are? Or would you like to aim higher and align yourself with a more mature and sophisticated crowd who just might be able to...include you?

Needless to say, these two promising Ohio cities offer much to a new college graduate, but only "on paper" (MSA sizes, etc.) are the two cities all that similar. Columbus and Cleveland are as different as day and night (or, night and day, if you must). Your own career path and personal preferences must really be your deciding factors.

[Steelers626]

Originally Posted by wahoos

I will be graduating from the University of Virginia in May and am currently deciding where to live starting this summer. My job affords me the choice of living in either Cleveland or Columbus. Having been born and raised in the Northeast and gone to school down South I know next to nothing about either of these places.

I am looking for lively urban living with a strong young professional population. Food, nightlife, and sports teams would be some of my important considerations as well. This board has been a great help on deciding where to live in past Summers, but this is my first time posting a unique question. Thanks to anyone who can offer any advice!

They all gave great answers, but going off what your looking for i think Cleveland will be your choice.

[jbcmh81]

Strong, young professional population: Columbus and it's probably not even close.
Food: I guess it depends on what you like. Cleveland seems to be best known for its variety of European-style foods that go back to when it had a huge European immigrant population. The food scene in Columbus is still growing, but it's probably a bit more diverse than Cleveland's, only less overall quantity.
Nightlife: Again, it depends on what you like. Both cities offer plenty of options.
Sports teams: If you like soccer/hockey/college sports and teams that have large devoted followings and that actually win, Columbus. If you like football/basketball/pro sports and teams that have large devoted followings but tend to lose year after year, then Cleveland.
Jobs for recent grads: Depends on your field, but overall, prospects are probably better in Columbus.
Cost of Living: Both are cheap places to live. Cleveland is a bit less expensive.

[cali3448893]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

Strong, young professional population: Columbus and it's probably not even close.
Food: I guess it depends on what you like. Cleveland seems to be best know for its variety of European-style foods that go back to when it had a huge European immigrant population. The food scene in Columbus is still growing, but it's probably a bit more diverse than Cleveland's, only less overall quantity.
Nightlife: Again, it depends on what you like. Both cities offer plenty of options.
Sports teams: If you like soccer/hockey/college sports and teams that have large devoted followings and that actually win, Columbus. If you like football/basketball/pro sports and teams that have large devoted followings but tend to lose year after year, then Cleveland.
Jobs for recent grads: Depends on your field, but overall, prospects are probably better in Columbus.
Cost of Living: Both are cheap places to live. Cleveland is a bit less expensive.

Its close...cleveland has better nightlife, cleveland for sports, Cleveland for cost of living culture, arts, museums...

[motorman]

Originally Posted by cali3448893

Its close...cleveland has better nightlife, cleveland for sports, Cleveland for cost of living culture, arts, museums...

A case of "no contest." (perhaps?)

[natininja]

The only reason I might pick Columbus over Cleveland is for proximity to Cincinnati.

[motorman]

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